Improvement in apparatus for generating gases from petroleum



UNITED STATES.

PATENT Qrrrcn.

AUGUSTIN I. AIWBLER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF OOLUOIBIA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 118,575, dated August 29, 1871.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, AUGUSTIN I. AMBLER, of Washington, in the county of Washington and District of Columbia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Apparatus for Generating Gas from Petroleum and other oleaginous substances, and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying' drawings and to the letters of reference marked thereon which form a part of this specification.

Thenature ofmy improvement consists in a new process for utilizing petroleum and in improved apparatus therefor. My improvement in the process consists in subjecting the petroleum confined in a close receiver to the action of common or saturated steam, at ordinary working pressure, passed through the petroleum, and the retention of the steam and vapors of the volatile portion of the petroleum in said receiver under the press ure and heat of such steam until a chemical reunion occurs between the steam and hydrocarbon vapor to form an iniiammable gas which may be drawn off for combustion through a pipe or pipes constructed with stop-cocks to maintain the pressure in the receiver due to the steam as taken from the steam-generator; and also, as a part of the same process, to prepare a purified lubricating oil from the residuum remaining after the vaporization of the volatile portion of the petroleum, thus combining two processes in one, viz., the process for making a lubricating oil and one for making a combustible gas by the reunion incident to the mixing and retention of steam and hydrocarbon vapor under heat and pressure. The nature of my improvement in the apparatus will hereinafter be set forth.

In order to enable others skilled in the art to which my invention appertains to make and use the same, I will now proceed to describe its construction and operation, referring to the annexed drawings, in which- Figure l is a sectional view of a hydrocarbureter, showing an inner and outer chamber or a cy-linder within a cylinder,with the pipes, gauges, and attachments thereto. Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a hydrocarbureter, being a plain cylinder or chamber with the pipes, gauges, and attachments thereto. Fig. 3 is a top view of a perfo` rated tube, shown in section at G, Fig. 2.

A is the inner chamber and A the outer chamber of the carbureter, Fig. l. B is the chamber of the carbureter, Fig. 2, for increasing the gravity of the oil and for containing the gas or vapor. O O are the steam-pipes for inducting the steam into the oil in both chambers A and B. O C are the steam-pipes for inductin g the steam into both chambersA and B, above the oil, to impoverish the gas or reduce the richness of the vapor for use in flame and heat. D D are the glass watergauges communicating with the oil-chambers A and B. D is the glass water-gauge communicating with the outer chamber A. E E are the steam-gauges to show the pressure on both carbureters, Figs. 1 and 2. F is a steam-pipe conveying steam from the steam-boiler (boiler not shown) to the branch pipes for use, and communicating with them by means of valves F F F and O C. These branch pipes communicate with both carbureters for the admission of steam into the oil and gas-chambers A and B, both above and below the oil, these pipes having suitable valves to control the How of steam. G is the gas-pipe for conductin g the gas or vapor' from the chamber A to the perforated square G for use. G is the perforated square or tube. This tube may be constructed in any form to suit the box or use required. Suitable valves G should be attached for operatin g the same. G is a tube for perforation or suitable burners, for use in the {ire-box or stove, or such other purpose as may be found advantageous and practical. H is the gas-pipe to conduct the vapor or gas from the gas-chamber of the carbureter B to the burners for use. H is a bloweif pipe. I, Fig. 2, is a dischc rge-pipe at the bottom. A is a force-pump for supplying the oil to the carbureter A. I is a force-pump for supplying oil to the carbureter B. K is an a-ir-chamber to supply air to the burning-pipe G. This air-chamber may be supplied by any suitable force-pump, and the admission of air, either hot or cold, regulated by the valve K', or from which air may be inducted into the carbureter either above or below the oil.

The mode of operation is as follows: Steam, To'ein g rst made in the boiler at any ordinary working and practical temperature, on opening a valve in pipe F passes through the same in the direction of the arrows, and by opening the valves F and F the steam passes down the pipe (l, and

following which, in the line of the arrows, steam will be ejected into the cylinder A, asi'shown at l tity and condition of the oil in the chamber A,

and which is indicated by the waved cross-lines in the drawings.. The amount or quantity ot' oil in the chamber `for the best practica-l results should not exceed onc-titth of the length or height of the same, both carbureters having 'the glass water-gauges forthe same purpose. Steam, and its passage through and above the oil, is indicated by dotted lines. rlhe branch pipe C, by means ofthe valve F, is used to induct steam into the gas or vapor-chamber above the oil to reduce the richness of the gas a-nd avoid black smoke in the consumption and utilization of the llame. When steam has been let into the carbureters for a few minutes by means of the pipes at the bottom of the oil, and a few pounds of pressure are shown by the steam-gauge E at the top, (I have produced gas in less than two minutes from cold petroleum with steam at less than ten pounds7 pressure) the valves in the pipes G and II connecting the carbureters with the burners (or one at a time may be used only) should be very slightly turned on, when the gas will flow to the burners and the same may be ignited in the ordinary way of lighting gas, having in view the extent of the flame and reasonable care in ignitin g the same. It will be at once understood that if the 11a-me shows black smoke it is too rich, andthe steam should be turned oit' at the bottom and let in at the top-that is, into the gas-chamber A', or above the oil in B. If the iiame becomes too light and blue or vapory the steam should be let on at the bottom to enrich the same. And when the oil in the carbureters becomes too thick and dense to vaporize freely, its speciiic gravity has been increased so as to give it a higher market value as a lubricating oil, when it should be drawn off into a suitable tank for the new uses to which it may be adapted and its place supplied by oils of lighter gravity. For general use I prefer as the basis ior obtaining the best practical results in the realization of my discovery the gravity of petroleum or other oleaginous substances at forty-ive-to fifty, hydrometric scale.

The diameter in the carbureter B is increased and made with one chamber for the purpose of increasing the steam-pressure upon the surface of the oil, and thus increasingthe gravity ofthe oil more rapidly. It is made smaller in A, and an outer chamber is employed to reduce the steam-pressure upon the surface of the oil, and yet to supply a sutlicient gas-chamber for practical use. rIhe chamber A being open at the top discharges the gas or vapor generated into the chamber A for use. And this outer chamber A enables me also to draw oli' the condensation as the same may be found necessary, the extent or quantity of condensation being shown by the gauge D. From this chamber I have suitable exhaust and discharge-pipes for this purpose.

It willbe readily seen that the gas and tlame can be instantly increased or diminished by the proper operation of the valves, as indicated.

Sizes, proportions, forms of construction, and adaptation of parts to places of utility will be readily understood and easily applied by the mecha-nic skilled in the, art. l

I am aware that steam has been used for separating the lighter constituents of petroleum from the heavier' oil as a process of refining or distilling the same, and I do not claim this process independently. But my invention is distinguished from the former in this: that, separating the lubricatin g oil under heat and pressure by the use of steam not superheated, I retain the volatile constituents in the form ot vapor until a combination occurs between the steam and the hydrocarbon vapor, whereby I am enabled to produce -a gas which, being supplied in regulated quantities by means ot' suitable cocks, will maintain a vivid i'lame in the combustion-chamber. My invention is also broadly distinguished from all the processes in which superheated steam is used as the volatilizing agent, in this: that the latter evaporates nearly if not all the hydrocarbon liquid, and so cokes the residuum, if any is left, that it is of no value as a lubricating oil. My invention is also distinguished from the processes in which common steam has been proposed to be used for making a fixed gas for burning, in this: that in al1 former processes the vapor of the hydrocarbon is either generated without a constant pressure and carried away immediately through open pipes to be burned, the only means of regulating the result being by cocks in the supply-pipes; or the combined vapors have been passed through retorts, or carried into condensers to form a fixed gas. In neither case has any care been taken to conduct the process with reference to a residuum of lubricating oil, which is important, because if the subjection to the action of the steam is continued too long the value of the residual oil will be impaired or destroyed; whereas in my process the vapors of steam and liquid hydrocarbon are retained under heat and pressure, regulated at the will of the operator, until the gas is drawn olil for immediate combustion, and the purified products consisting of heavy lubricating oil and a light and exceedingly iniiammable material are retained in the receiver until the lubricating oil is brought to the proper gravity and condition of purity for utilization, the lighter products being returned to the tank to be consumed, by which means I use all the petroleum consumed, the market value of the residual lubricating oil being greater than that of all the petroleum used in the process, so that a profit can be made out of the sale ot' the residual oil and the lighter products used in the production of heat without cost.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The process for the double purpose of obtaining an inflammable gas and retaining it uncondensed under pressure for combustion, and also for making a puritied oil for lubrication and other purposes, by passing steam at ordinary y working temperature, not srperheated, through leaving the residuum of a higher specific 'gravity and purified to be drawn off, substantially as set forth.

2. An apparatuws combining in its construction the following elements, viz. irst, a close receiver containing hydrocarbon oil, with a space above the oil for retaining steam and gas under heat and regulated pressure; second, a steam-generator and a tube or tubes for passing steam at ordinary working temperature, and not supcrheated, through the body of the oil, third, a suitable conduit for conveying without condensation the mingled steam and hydrocarbon vapor or gas evolved from the lighter portions of the oil inregulated quantities to a point where, in combination with oxygen, (either pure or in combination,) it may be burned; fourth, a valve or valves inserted in said exit-conduit for maintaining a regulated pressure in the receiver and for retaining the mingled vapors in contact until the chemical changes may take place; and fifth, a conduit for drawing off the heavier portion of the oil for utilization.

nesses.

* AUGUSTIN I. AMBLER.

Witnesses:

T. H. ALEXANDER, C. ALEXANDER. 

